Car-coupling



H G EN AC E .A A nu d M o m Patented Oct. 22, l895.

, I m re CHARLES A. BALLREIGH, OF DES MOINES IOWA.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 548,285, dated October 22, 1895.

Application filed October 26, 1893- Serial No. 489,242. (N 0 model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES A. BALLREICH, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Des Moines, in the county of Polk and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Oar-Coup lings, of which the following is a specification.

Myimprovement relates to that class of carcouplings known as the J anney type, and my object is to facilitate the locking and unlocking of the jaw pivotally' connected with the draw-bar while the cars are advancing on a curve or on-a straight line of track.

My invention consists in the construction, arrangement, and combination of a gravitating block pivoted within the draw-bar to extend diagonally across the cavity in the bar and to be in engagement with the parallel walls of the cavity, as required, to prevent lateral motion and to allow vertical motion only, and also as required to lock the jaw while in a partially-closed position on a curve in the track and in a closed position when on a straight section of track, a gravitatin g lever adapted to elevate and support the gravitating locking-block in an elevated position, as required, in unlocking and uncoupling a jaw having a rear extension adapted to be engaged by the gravitating locking-block, and a draw-bar adapted for retaining said operative parts in their relative positions, as hereinafter set forth, pointed out in my claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a plan view, partly in section, of my improved coupling, showing the jaw in a closed and locked position. Fig. 2 is a side elevation, partly in section, of the same, showing the gravitating lever in its normal position. Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line no 56 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the locking-block. Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing my improved coupling applied as required for practical use. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the jaw having a rear end' adapted to co-operate with the locking-block. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the jaw in an inverted position. Fig. 8 is an enlarged transverse sectional view showing the position of the locking-block as required to engage the rear end of the jaw and lock it when not entirely closed, as occurs when the cars are on a curve in the track.

In the construction of the device as shown the numeral 10 designates the draw-bar, having the forwardly-extending arm 11, on which is pivoted the jaw 12, carrying the impactarm 13.

The numeral 14 designates a lifting and sustaining arm integrally formed on and extending rearwardly and upwardly from the impact-arm 13 at a transverse angle to said arm.

Integrally formed on and extending forward from the draw-bar opposite to the arm 11 is the guiding-arm 15. A cavity 16 is formed in the interior of the draw-bar l0, and a vertical intersecting slot 17 affords communication to said cavity from the bottom of the draw-bar.

Formed on either side of the Vertical slot 17 are ears 18, and pivoted upon a pin 19, extended transversely through-said ears, is an elbow-shaped gravitating lever 20, the upper portion of which normally lies within the slot 17, the lower end thereof depending below the draw-bar and secured to one end of a chain 21, the other end of said chain being connected to the arm 22 of a rock-shaft 23, journaled under the end of the car 24, said rock-shaft having the operating-arm- 25, adapted for manual operation.

J ournaled in the side of the draw-bar 10, by means of a bolt 26, is a gravitating lockingblock 27, which locking-block extends longitudinally of the said draw-bar to a point in front of the impact-arm l3 and diagonally across the cavity within the draw-bar in such a manner that it will have free vertical motion, but no lateral motion.

A notch 28 is formed in the lower face of the locking-block 27 transversely of said block, the purpose of which will hereinafter be made plain. A notch 29 is formed in the lower corner of the forward end of the lock- 9 5 ing-block 27 to extend longitudinally rearward to admit the top corner of the elbow of the arm 14, as required, to lock the jaw while the cars are rounding a curve in the track.

bottom, respectively, of the knuckle 12 around the pivotal pin 32 thereof, and coiled springs 33 3a are mounted in said recesses, one end of each spring being secured within the jaw, the remaining end of each spring being positioned in and fixed to the arm 11 of the drawbar, said springs serving to throw the jaw open when it is unlocked by the vertical motion of the locking-block 27.

In the operation of the coupling, as shown and described, the impact of the approaching draw-bars causes a rearward movement of the impact-arm 13. The arm 14 passing rearwardly from beneath the locking-block permits the passage of theimpact-arm under and beyond said locking-block, said locking-block then falling by gravity in front of said impact-arm, as shown in Fig. 1, and locking said arm. If when the coupling is being efitected the cars are on a curved track, the locking-block will fall such a distance as that the notch 29 will inclose and engage with a portion of the impact-arm and form a primary coupling, the full or secondary coupling being effected automatically when the train of cars aligns on the straight track.

In the effecting of an uncoupling the rockshaft 23 is manually moved in a rotary direction by means of the arm 25, the force therefrom being applied through the arm 22 and chain 21 to the lever 20, thereby operating said lever as required to therewith elevate the locking-block 27, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2, the upper end of said lever entering the notch 28 in said locking-block, at which time the manual force is withdrawn, the said block remaining sustained on said lever pending the separation of the cars and consequent outward movement of the jaw, said outward movement of the jaw causing the arm 14 to pass forward beneath the locking-block and by reason of its inclined surface elevate said block a sufficient distance to disengage said block from the lever and permit said lever to resume its normal position by force of gravity and said locking-block remain retained upon and sustained by the arm 14 until such time as the jaw is again closed, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1.

It is obvious that when the locking-block 27 is in engagement with the impact-arm 13 of the pivoted jaw, as shown in Fig. 1, and as required to lock thejaw that the forward free end of said pivoted block is also abutting the wall of the draw-bar, as required, to prevent any lateral movement of the block and so that it will retain the jaw firmly fixed in a locked position until the locking-block is elevated by means of the lever 20. The block 27 being pivoted to one of the parallel walls of the draw-bar to extend forward diagonally to engage the wall on the other side is therefore an important desideratum in looking the jaw and successfully resisting the force to which the locking device is subjected in the practical use of a coupling of the Janney type.

It is also obvious that in rounding a curve in the track the draw-bars of the cars cannot be in alignment and that the jaws of the coupler will not always close entirely while the draw-bars are in such position and that therefore a primary locking of the jaws in a partially-closed position, as effected by my device, is essential to safety in coupling cars whilerounding a curve in the track.

It is therefore obvious that the form of the longitudinally-extending notch 28 in the lower inside front corner of the locking-block 27, after serving as a n1eans to lock the jaw while rounding a curve, will also,by virtue of its position and form, allow the jaw to close on tirely, so the block can, by force of gravity, descend to lock the jaw in a fully-closed position when the mating draw-bars align themselves on a straight track.

It is also obvious that by extending the lever 20 longitudinally relative to the draw-bar and in the plane of the slot 17 it is adapted to be operated by means of a rock-shaft that extends transversely relative to the draw-bar and car in a common way for the purpose of i effecting an uncoupling.

I claim as my invention- 1. In a car coupling, the gravitating block 27, having transverse notch 28 in its bottom adapted to engage the free end of a lever and a notch 29 in its front lower corner extending longitudinally rearward to admit the upper corner of a rear extension of a jaw and also adapted to extend diagonally across a cavity in a draw-bar to engage the parallel walls thereof, as shown in combination with a draw bar and jaw pivoted thereto to be engaged by the said block as set forth, and a lever pivoted to the draw bar to extend longitudinally thereto in the plane of the slot 17 for lifting and supporting the gravitatin g block, as shown and described, for the purposes stated.

2. In a car-coupling, the combination of the draw bar, the jaw pivoted thereto and havint. the impact arm, the locking block pivoted within the draw bar, as shown in an approximately horizontal position, to extend forward diagonally and in engagement with the parallel sides of the draw bar, the notch 28 extending transversely in the bottom of said locking block, and the notch 29 in the front lower corner of the same block extending rearward and adapted to admit the upper corner of the said impact arm, the lever fulcrumed beneath the draw bar to extend longitudinally thereto in the plane of the slot'l7 and adapted to engage said locking block and lift the same, and, by engagement with said notch sustaining said block in an elevated position, and means adapted for manually operating said lever.

3. A car coupling comprising the following elements: a draw bar, and a jaw pivoted thereto and having an impact arm, a lifting and sustaining arm formed on the impact arm, a locking block having a notch 29 in its for- ICC Ward end and a notch 28 in its lower face, arranged and combined in the manner set pivoted in the draw bar to extend forward diforth for the purposes stated. 10 agonally, a lever mounted on a pivot trans- In testimony whereof I have hereunto set versely positioned in the draw bar, said lever my hand in the presence of two witnesses.

being adapted to act upon said locking block, CHARLES A. BALLREICH. a manually operated rock-shaft connected In presence ofwith said lever, and springs interposedbe- S. 0. SWEET,

tween and. fixed t0 the jaw and draw bar, all W. A. BALLARD. 

